Hello and welcome to another edition of the Vintage Media millennial blog. I’m trying different formats at the moment to see which works best.
I recently noticed that the Confessions film series has been getting a lot of attention lately due to the 50th anniversary of the first film in 2024. They were featured in a documentary on Channel 4 titled “Saucy!” which was produced by Simon Sheridan. I’ve also come across some news articles about the remastering of all four films for the Blu-Ray release in August.
Four of the adult sex farce comedies were made between 1974 and 1977; Confessions of a Window Cleaner, Confessions of a Pop Performer, Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Confessions from a Holiday Camp. The low-budget series, based on the novels by Christopher Wood (under the character name), followed the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea (Robin Askwith).
I Shouldn’t Have Been Watching!
Being a millennial, I shouldn’t have much of a relationship with films first issued around 15 years before I was born. However I grew up with older relatives who put it in a similar camp to the carry on movies.
I remember it was late one night, and the channel was tuned to Bravo on Sky. They were showing the 1977 film Confessions of a Holiday Camp. I was only about 10 or 11 at the time and was given permission to watch it. This probably happened because it was thought that anything about a holiday camp would be safe for me to watch; the mature adult x rating that played before the movie didn’t seem to make a difference!
I remember very little about the film, other than the vibe. It was a 1970s comedy that was a little cheeky and raunchy in places. Timmy Lea’s sexual exploits went over my head completely, but
I saw the other films a little later, and enjoyed them more. Confessions of a Pop Performer was my favourite of the series, owing to the song pwrformed in fhe middle of the film. For years afters, I’d be singing “Do the clapper” under my breath. It was only after seeing the film again, I realised it was actually “The Clapham!”.
I Didn’t Think You Watched Things Like That!
There was a period of over 15 years where I didn’t watch any of the films again. They seemed to disappear from TV for a while, probably owing to their content.
I went through a period of buying little bits and pieces in charity shops. One day, I picked up a VHS copy of Confessions of a Window Cleaner, as I remembered enjoying it as an early teen. Very little of the film had stayed in my memory other than a vague recollection of Robin Askwyth in character as Timmy Lea. There was great anticipatipn to watch it again.
Then while chatting on the phone to a friend, I mentioned that I had picked up the VHS. They sounded horrified on the other end. “I didn’t know you watched things like that”. I was confused, as I didn’t understand why this person could be judgy about a cheeky comedy movie from the 70s.
Out of intrigue, I looked up the opening of the film on YouTube. What greeted me was a scene with mostly naked women at windows. I admit I was stunned, as most of the naked flesh had completely left my memory. My mind had somehow convinced myself that the films were just cheeky romps with a bit of raunchiness. I got rid of the VHS a while later without watching it.
Re-Evaluating the Films
When I heard the news that Talking Pictures was to air all of the films, I was initially bemused. Still somewhat divided by the previous comments I had received, I was hesitant to revisit them.
After writing a news article for this website, I was encouraged to watch one of the films featured on it. I had some odd jobs to do in the room where the TV was, so I recorded the films on my recordable box and waited for an appropriate time to watch them. When I was a child, I may have been oblivious to the sexual nature of the films, but as an adult, I realized that my children weren’t quite ready to see them yet!
Late one night, as I watched Confessions for the first time in two decades, I was struck by the quaintness of the setup, which initially seemed incredibly innocent. To the uninitiated, it could easily pass for a gentle, witty comedy. However, as the pace picks up, the series reveals its raunchier side. I didn’t find the sex scenes and nudity as shocking as I thought I would, perhaps a sign of a change in society. Robin Askwith excels at portraying nervousness and naivety, making him likeable.
One particular sex scene I remember watching was when Timmy entered a record shop during Confessions of a Pop Performer. The ensuing events are so overblown that it is both incredibly sexual yet utterly hilarious. I can just imagine reviewers back in the day having an absolute field day scorning ferociously, while having in secretly enjoyed it. This is the beauty of this series, it’s both low rent but high art at the same time.
Where else do you get to see some household names from the 70s engage in the kind of conversations and actions you’ve never expect? Seeing the lovely Peter Jones playing a seedy character, and playing it to perfection. These films are a product of the time they are made in , but somehow they’ve matured remarkably. I never expected to like it.
Copycats
Since then I’ve seen an entry or two in the Adventures series. I found that selection of films to be tamer in some respects. They hinted at things but it Didn’t always go as far as expected. When compared to the heights and overloaded nature of Confessions, it’s quite tame in places. Again with a similar formula of utilising unexpected names, I’ve enjoyed them.
Conclusion
I’ve had an unexpectedly long relationship with the Confessions series. From seeing them as a child to being judged, then finding enjoyment in them! It’s nice to see that others have felt the same, and that these films are restored on Blu-Ray for future generations to see why they were so popular. I might pick up the box set at some point, although maybe I’ll put them on a high shelf…
